Is "No Problem" a Problem?
“Don’t say ‘No Problem.’” This is a piece of advice I’ve heard and read hundreds of times in posts, articles and customer service training programs over the years. The rationale is that the phrase suggests to customers that they should have expected a problem in the first place.
Well, I for one have a problem with that.
A distinction without a difference
This is one of those things that sounds good on paper, but doesn’t really pass the squint test. When I say “drive carefully” to one of my children as they head off on a trip, am I suggesting that they normally drive recklessly? No. When a server says “Have a nice day” to me, are they suggesting that I was planning to have a horrible one? Of course not.
Unsupported by evidence
The words we choose play a huge role in the world of customer service. A simple sentence can sometimes influence whether someone will trust you or pick a fight with you. In our customer service training programs, we refer to this as “positive and negative language.”
A number of years ago, we began analyzing recorded calls of angry, frustrated or ‘difficult’ customers. From that, we were able to identify a number of common words that consistently triggered negative emotional responses – which became part of our courses. In the process, now more than a thousand calls later, we’ve never identified ‘no problem’ as a phrase that triggers a negative emotional response.
If there are better words, use them
Having said all this, there are often more productive words to choose than “no problem.” If someone says “thank you,” for instance, saying things like “my pleasure,” or “any time” sends the message that you care – which is a core component of building trust. While “No problem” won’t create a negative response, it also doesn’t create trust. If, however, you are responding to someone apologizing, “No problem” or “not to worry,” can be effective ways to dismiss the issue and move forward.
The phrases “No problem” and “no worries” have been common parts of our vernacular for decades now, and generally accepted as comfortable colloquialisms. There’s no harm in them – but you might be missing out on creating an even more positive outcome.
The rule of thumb for language is:
“If there’s a better way to say something, say it that way.“
